Healthy Meals for Professors-on-the-Go (3/5) - Wandering Wednesdays - The Healthy Professor Blog

Readers,

Today's Wandering Wednesday's post is focused on "The Healthy Professor Blog". This blog is written by Dr. Nina Marinello for one of her local newspaper's websites. She is the Chair of Nutrition at the Sage Colleges and her posts focus on her classroom, her personal (and healthy) interests, and several tips for the community!

One of her most recent posts is titled "Fatigue, Food, and Friday". Here's the funny thing, I experience this phenomenon every Friday. During my 3pm slump, I have to find some nourishment and my body says...SOMETHING WITH SUGAR PLEASE! So, lately, I have been prepared to answer this daily message from my body with grapes and a cup of green tea.

I can tell that she LOVES her job, but I realize that sometimes we can become so focused on our work that we forget to eat and our bodies can definitely remind us of our mishap by growling or completing shutting down at 3pm/5pm. I can relate to many of her messages and I hope that she will continue posting messages to this blog!

Here's one of her most recent video-based posts. My husband LOVED the video and he plans to use it in his Biology classroom.

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Healthy Meals for Professors-on-the-Go (2/5) - Quick and Easy Recipes in a Mug!

Readers,

Lately, I have been eating breakfast (usually two slices of cheese toast and a glass of water) in the car while commuting to work. However, by 9:00 a.m., my body has used all of the energy from the cheese toast and I am hungry again. So, my doctor wants for me to integrate more protein in the morning to avoid any negative health consequences in the morning. So, my husband and I decided that I need more eggs and peanut butter.

Here's a recipe that I am definitely going to try this week! It is called the Microwave Egg Scramble and I can make it in my office before my morning classes!

This recipe is from the Incredible Edible Egg website:

Ingredients Needed:

2 Eggs

2 Tbsp Milk

2 Tbsp Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

1. COAT 12-oz. microwave-safe coffee mug with cooking spray. ADD eggs and milk; beat until blended.
2. MICROWAVE on HIGH 45 seconds; stir. MICROWAVE until eggs are almost set, 30 to 45 seconds longer.
3. TOP with cheese; season with salt and pepper.

Also, here are some additional "egg mug" recipes from the Hungry Girl website:

- All-American Egg Mug

- Egg Bene-Chick Mug

- The Hungry Girl Special Egg Mug

Enjoy!

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Healthy Meals for Professors-on-the-Go (1/5) - Stocking Your Office with Healthy Snacks for Your Busy Lifestyle

Readers,

This semester, my health goals have focused on eating fruits, veggies, and fast/healthy goods in my office while working on my action items for the week. For the first few weeks, I started the backwards slide towards sugary items after the 3pm office slump. However, this week I started the week on the right foot and I brought several healthy items to the office including the following:

- Justin's Almond Nut Butter (Small Packages)

- Kashi Pita Crackers (A GREAT product!)

- Planter's Nutrition Mix

- Green Grapes, Red Plums, and Avocados

- Two Lean Cuisines - my fridge can only hold TWO meals :(

- A Large Bottle of Ozarka

As you can see, this week is dedicated to educators who are actively seeking more energy and small start towards living a healthy lifestyle when they have limited time to do so. This week, look forward to several quick tips and recipes focused on fast meals that you can integrate into your morning and afternoon routines.

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Fun, Organizational Tips for Faculty (5/5) - Freebie Friday - Post-It PopNotes App

Readers,

Today's item for Freebie Friday is focused on the new Post-It note app from the 3M company. Personally, I am a fan of geo-tagging (reading the comments and reviews, not posting comments) when it comes to traveling in my city and outside of the state.

It would be interesting to see if geo-tagging would work outside of the retail environment and would make its way to college and university campuses across the United States (perhaps even the world). It would be great to visit a university like Harvard and to read the tags for each of the different buildings. It would create a personalized, virtual tour for campus visitors! 

Just a thought! Enjoy!

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Fun, Organizational Tips for Faculty (4/5) - Faculty Development Modules for Online Teaching (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board)

Readers,

Lone Star College, Sam Houston State University, and Spring ISD recently created a repository of learning modules focused on online teaching and learning.

Here is a link to the Faculty Development Modules - LINK.

These learning modules are focused on the following topics:

1 - Introduction to Online Learning

2 - Flexibility and Time Management

3 - Learning Styles

4 - Classroom Management and Communication

5 - Cultural and Global Considerations

6 - Legal Issues

7 - Collaboration and Community Building

8 - Trends in Online Learning

9 - Assessment

10 - Web Literacy

11 - Vertical and Horizontal Alignment

12 - Student Retention and Faculty Development

This project is funding by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Dr. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Fun, Organizational Tips for Faculty (3/5) - The Teaching Professor Blog!

Readers,

This week's Wandering Wednesday post is focused on the Teaching Professor blog. This blog always features great ideas for college faculty who teach and who research. The Teaching Professor blog is filled with amazing ideas and focuses on the following subjects:

• the scholarship of teaching and learning
• classroom policies
• active learning
• assessment
• generational differences
• student performance

All of these ideas can definitely help college faculty become more organized and to help more students in less time!


Enjoy!


J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Fun, Organizational Tips for Faculty (2/5) - Using Pinterest to Discover and Organize Your Creative Ideas!

Readers,

One of our social media interns told us about Pinterest in during our TSMRI retreat and I did NOT know about this AMAZING website. That night, I signed up for Pinterest and I had to wait for an approval e-mail confirming my membership. On Sunday, I received that wonderful invitation and I was able to start my Pinterest journey.

Pinterest is a great website focused on bookmarking through pictures. For example, you can visit a website and you can find an amazing picture (recipe, bulletin board, idea, etc.) to PIN on your board. Then, people who have similar interests can follow you or your board OR you can follow others' boards. This is an amazing way to plan neat events, organize your research, brainstorm ideas, and to do something stress-free!

Follow Me on Pinterest! - http://re.pn/b/KpZT

My Boards:

- Fantastic Food Ideas for Meetings

- Academic Life and College

- Make and Take Crafts (for my daycare)

- Fun Gift Ideas (for my classes)

- Preschool Science Activities (for my childcare training business)

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Fun, Organizational Tips for Faculty (1/5) - Using Google Docs to Plan the 2011 Social Media Conference @ Tarleton State University

Readers,

This semester, I have had the best experience working with a group of wonderful ladies (undergraduate students, faculty, and staff) in the newly-formed Texas Social Media Research Institute (TSMRI) at Tarleton State University. We formed the institute last spring and this fall we are working on the upcoming 2011 Social Media Research Conference that will be held Friday, December 2, 2011 at Tarleton.

The undergraduate students are TSMRI interns and they are divided into three teams: Social Media, Training and Development, and Conference Planning. Each team has one to three faculty mentors (who are also the TSMRI co-directors) and they have a intern coordinator (who was also my Undergraduate Research Assistant this summer). Last of all, there is me and I function as a faculty mentor and the TSMRI Director.

Each Monday, we meet, eat, and brainstorm. There is one word that truly epitomizes this weekly activity - SYNERGY! I have never experienced ANYTHING like it! These ladies are all amazing and I enjoy their neat ideas and energy! We will have an amazing conference!

Here's the fun organizational tip - We use Google Docs for EVERYTHING!

1 - Registration Form - Created Using Google Forms

2 - Conference Planning Toolbox (Backwards Plan, Contact Sheet, Logo, etc.) - Created Using Google Spreadsheets

3 - Call for Proposals - Created Using Google Spreadsheets

Find out about the conference - http://www.tarleton.edu/tsmri/SocialMediaConference.html

Register for the conference - http://www.tinyurl.com/SocialMediaConference2011Reg

Become a fan of TSMRI on Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/TSMRI/

Follow TSMRI on Twitter! - http://www.twitter.com/TSMRI/

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Faculty Work-Life Balance Series (5/5) Freebie Friday - Complete Small Activities on Recycle Bank for Free Points Towards High-Value Coupons and Free Products for Classes!

Readers,

I love saving money and I tend to spend A LOT of money on my classes (and our department's conferences), but I try to maximize my dollar by using coupons and contacting individual companies! 

Last year, when planning the "Environmental Communication Week", I was not familiar with this wonderful website, Recyclebank. This website enables users to complete quick quizzes, take green pledges, and read informative articles for Recycle Bank points. Here's the neat aspect, the points can be used for high-value coupons ($2.00 off Kashi Products, etc.) and even free products at McDonalds (i.e. - a free ice cream cone).

Professional Life

I am glad that I found this website last month, because I will be able to share the wonderful information with people who are interested in "Environmental Communication Week 2012". Another cool feature to add to the website! :)

Personal Life

This website is beneficial for our household because I am still planning to increase the amount of money that we save each month. September is always crunch month for our household (tuition, etc.) and this will be a great way to plan for future money emergencies. Faculty have to budget as well! :)

Sign up for Recyclebank today! :)

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Faculty Work-Life Balance Series (4/5) - Yoga and Higher Education (Celebrating National Yoga Month)!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/myyogaonline/457354375/

Readers,

I am excited to tell announce that this month is National YOGA month! This exciting because many Yoga studios are offering FREE classes this month! Enter your information in the National Yoga Month website to find classes near you!

http://www.yogamonth.org/fwfiles/EventSearch.php

This summer, I started practicing yoga to become more flexible (I hate injuries), to gain a stronger focus on my work and family life, and to minimize the impact of stress on my life. Life for faculty and students is a hard life and many people outside of higher education do not realize the stress level of both of these groups.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mortonfox/

Through yoga, I have met a wonderful group of older and younger women (and men) who embrace fitness and health. The older women use the balance balls in the back of the room and the rest of us are on double-mats. I try to avoid double-mats, but the nice women who are taking the class with me make sure that I have an additional mat before the class begins. God bless them!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sisterbeer/

During the summer, we had 105+ days in July and August and this prevented me from walking to the local gym to persist through my yoga class. However, the meteorologists predict that September is the month to expect cooler weather (and possibly rain). So, later this month, I plan to continue my yoga journey and to meet my old (no pun intended) friends again.

Do you practice yoga or another fitness activities to relieve your stressful days? Please share! :)

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Faculty Work-Life Balance Series (3/5) - Wandering Wednesdays - "Too Hot To Teach" Blog

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dogwelder/

Readers,

This is our second week of school and I am very excited to share a neat blog with you. This week's Wandering Wednesday's Blog is focused on work-life balance and it is written by three lovely academic bloggers (Professor KM, Miss Kat, and Part-Time KC). Most of their posts focus on the celebrations and perils of being young, fierce, female and faculty. Wow, I remember those young and fierce days, now I feel almost tenured and _______ (insert adjective here).

Their blog helps me reflect on my first six years of teaching in higher education. Yes, it has been SIX YEARS! Here are the categories that are featured on their blog:

Annotated Bibliography

Career Change

Field Notes from the Classroom

Identity Crisis

It Never Ends

Their blog features a WEALTH of personal/professional reflection and an equal amount of neat teaching ideas. 

Visit their blog here - http://toohottoteach.com/.

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Call for Articles - International Higher Education Teaching and Learning (HETL) Review

Readers,

Here's a publication opportunity! The International Higher Education Teaching and Learning (HETL) Review (http://hetl.org) is now accepting article submissions for 2011. See http://hetl.org/introduction-submissions/ for submission requirements.

Special theme for 2011-2012: University 2.0.Theme topic areas include:

- University 2.0: using Web 2.0 and other digital media technology in higher education.

Examples: virtual worlds, blended learning, social media technology, mobile learning.

- University 2.0: internationalization of teaching and learning.

Examples: multicultural learning, collaboration between universities, education for agency.

- University 2.0: social learning theories, instructional design, and learning outcomes.

Examples: assessment and evaluation of teaching and learning, syllabus/course design, curriculum design, program design.

- University 2.0: social, institutional, and policy-making challenges and opportunities.

Examples: managing learning communities, managing centers for teaching and learning, higher education reform.

Sample of on-going themes:

- Best practices in teaching and learning.

- New pedagogical approaches in teaching and learning.

- Innovation and the future of teaching and learning.- Comparative studies in teaching and learning.

- Interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

- Internationalization of teaching and learning.

- Faculty development and learning communities.

- Cooperative learning and collaborative learning.

- Active learning and student engagement.

- Group-based learning, project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, case-based learning, and problem-based learning. 

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Faculty Work-Life Balance Series (2/5) - Tips for Faculty Work-Life Balance (A Few Neat Resources)

Readers,

Work-life balance is one of my favorite subjects to research in my organizational communication endeavors. I usually research millennial employees and their perceptions of work-life balance, but I really think that I should apply the work-life balance research and issues to my own life. 


Here's a great TED video from Nigel Marsh on How to Make Work-Life Balance Work:

If you need to discover exactly HOW MUCH time you are spending on each of your daily activities, here's a neat calculator from CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/06/04/balance.calculator/

Also, CNN has a neat quiz focused on Weisure (the combination between work and play):
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/05/08/weisure.interactive/index.html


Here are a few additional resources that would help male and female faculty members survive the work-life balancing act. 

San Francisco State University - Top Ten Tips on Finding Personal and Professional Balance 

http://ctfd.sfsu.edu/feature/top-ten-tips-on-finding-personal-and-professional-balance.htm

Washington University - Work-Life Balance
http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/benefits/publications/carelink/tipsheets/work-family-balance.pdf

A More Family-Friendly Ivory Tower
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/01/flexibility.aspx

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Faculty Work-Life Balance Series (1/5) - 10 Ways to De-Stress This Semester!!

Readers,

This semester (and other semesters) are usually filled with stress (at one time or another). This year, I plan to minimize my stress as much as I possibly can by doing the following: practicing yoga, eating healthy foods, maintaining an increased level of organization between work and home, attending church, and maintaining a positive attitude. 

In addition, the local public library is sponsoring a reading challenge for adults during the fall semester and I cannot wait to start reading my fiction and non-fiction books related to non-academic issues (a slight break). I plan to read at least one book a week (or every two weeks). We shall see!

During the labor day weekend, I started planning my fall garden and reading the forgotten magazines from the summertime. I am finally finished reading my issues of Self, Glamour, Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens, Inc. (one of my favorites), and Woman's Day. I enjoy reading magazines because this slight break enables me to refocus on my academic schedule during the week. 

In the September 2011 issue of Self, there was a great mini-article titled, "Self's 10 Quickie Ways to...Get Rid of Your Stress". Here are the quickie ways:

1 - Download the Just Inhale App (4.5/5 Stars)

This app is FREE and it encourages users to practice several breathing exercises.

2 - Chomp on Chocolate

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pheezy/96474336/lightbox/

3 - Strike a Yoga Pose

*Oh yeah, this month is also National Yoga Month. Find a FREE Yoga class near you!

http://www.yogamonth.org/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/enfad/2784330126/

4 - Say NO! 

*This semester is going to be an extremely busy semester for me and my daily mantra is focused on the word, "no". I will NOT do anything that will not benefit my tenure portfolio this year.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gail/3402836023/

5 - Give Back by Volunteering

*As academics, I think that we have the volunteer aspect covered, but just in case you need some additional service on your plate, you can search for local volunteer opportunities on http://www.volunteermatch.org/

6 - Pucker Up

*Kisses actually help humans release feel-good hormones. :)

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leehaywood/5153937451/

7 - Play Away Angst (DOWNLOAD a GAME)! :)

*Right now, I love the Angry Birds Game - Rio Edition. :)

8 - Light a Lavender Candle

*I love lavender, but unfortunately we are not able to have candles in our offices. As a result, I purchased a few Glade Sense and Spray devices which spray a beautiful fragrance when I enter my office in the morning. In addition, this device is GREAT when a student enters the office as well. Sniffing lavender can help us lower levels of stress-related chemicals. :)

9 - Plan a Vacay

*This is one thing that I have NOT planned this semester. Most of my travel plans involve academic travel. I need to plan a short vacay for a few days around Thanksgiving. Any ideas?

10 - Pet a Pooch

*Our family has a miniature schnauzer that makes our lives complete! There is nothing like coming home to a furry dog that is excited that you have arrived back home after a long day! :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/greggoconnell/318662358/

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Hello Fall 2011 - Post 5/5 - It's Friday! Reserve Your Free Breakfast Entree at Chick-Fil-A!

Readers,

This week, I am super excited about the opportunity to RSVP for the Chick-Fil-A Free Breakfast Entree next week! I drive by a Chick-Fil-A every morning on my way to the university and I cannot wait to take advantage of this free offer. Use this website link to RSVP - http://www.chick-fil-aforbreakfast.com/Start. I just sent this message to my students as well! :)

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Hello Fall 2011 - Post 4/5 - My Personal and Professional Goals for Fall 2011!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lululemonathletica/

Readers,

Here are the goals for this semester! Keep me accountable!

Professional Goals:

1 - Help at least four student groups submit their research papers for publication.

2 - Help at least six student groups submit their research papers for the various symposiums this semester.

3 - Submit at least three of my own articles for publication.

4 - Write at least three articles this semester.

5 - Plan the "Social Media Conference 2011"! :)

6 - Keep my blog updated.

Personal Goals:

1 - Save, save, save! :)

2 - Start fall/winter garden.

3 - Cook meals at home instead of eating out.

4 - Serve the college student ministry at our church!

5 - Build better interpersonal relationships!

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Hello Fall 2011 - Post 3/5 - Wandering Wednesdays - The Theatre Prof Blog

Readers,

This is been a great week! In addition, to the amazing first week of classes, I also found a great blog to follow! This blog is called The Theatre Prof and Prof. Michelle Stephens seems to be a very active user of social media in her personal life and in her classes. :)

She is active on Google Plus and I hope to learn A LOT from her about this software, because I am LOST on Google Plus! :)

Here are her most recent posts on teaching in higher education...

10 Ways to Use Google Plus in the Classroom

Dear Parent of a College-Bound Child

Report from the Trenches: Evaluating GooglePlus for Online Learning

Week Zero: Why You Should Engage Students Before Classes Start

Check Out Michelle's Blog! - http://www.theatreprof.com/

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Hello Fall 2011 (2/5) - Time Management Strategies for the Semester (Responding to E-mail)

Readers,

This semester, I decided that I need to refine my time management skills and to establish a better balance between work and personal life. I usually respond to messages from my online and face-to-face classes within an hour (or two), but this year, I think that I am going to move to a 12 hour time frame. Responding to e-mail messages can become a very time consuming process and I have to reduce the amount of time that I spend typing and retyping replies to e-mail messages.

Here are some time management strategies that I currently use:

1 - When a few students have the same question, I send the students an initial response and then I send the response to all students in a question and answer format.

2 - I save ALL of my received messages and sent messages every semester. The pdf documents from each semester have helped me to form a wonderful repository of message replies. Then, I copy and paste the answers to questions that I typically encounter every semester. :)

Here are some time management strategies that I plan to use:

1 - Replying to students within a 12 hour time frame (while I am at work and during office hours at home).

2  - Typing responses on my iPad. For some reason, I dislike my pop-up iPad keyboard and I started using the Apple bluetooth keyboard instead of the keyboard on the screen. I love this keyboard MUCH better than the keyboard on the screen!

Do you have any suggestions for me? I value your suggestions! :)

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41

Hello Fall 2011 (1/5) - The First Day of Classes!

Readers,

Today was the first day of classes at my university. I have two upper-level classes on MWFs and I enjoy teaching these classes EARLY in the morning (9 a.m. and 10 a.m.). Each fall, I teach the same classes, but I change small aspects of the classes according to current research and student evaluations.

I look forward to the beginning of each fall semester, because I purchase a new dress (or suit) for the first day of classes! This year, I purchased a new dress and new shoes (tall shoes) for today's classes! I enjoyed wearing my new outfit for the first day and I always get that new burst of energy from the new clothes and new school supplies! Here's a picture of my new shoes! :)

The first class, Intercultural Communication, is one of my favorites! I enjoy hearing the students tell stories about their diverse experiences. The second class, Interpersonal Communication, is a mandatory class for the communication department and other departments on campus. This class is always filled with wonderful students and I am looking forward for an exciting semester!

Also, one of my dear friends, Prof. Cristi Horton placed the cutest gift on my desk last Friday for the first week of classes! I left the gift on my desk over the weekend, because I needed that extra burst of energy on Monday! I opened the gift and I was very pleased to find a portable post-it note holder for my bag! This gift was much appreciated, because my husband commented on my post-it note "to do list" last night. This summer, I started using 20 post-it notes per day. :) Yes, I recycle at home AND at the office! :)

Both Intercultural and Interpersonal students will work on group research projects this semester. Last semester these projects focused on diversity and the students presented their research at our university's research symposium. This year, we are focused on the Social Media Conference and the students will have to link social media and interpersonal/intercultural issues. 

Today in class, the students chose their topics and many of them are EXCITED about investigating their chosen topics! Last semester's students and this semester's students will be invited to submit their papers for the Tarleton Undergraduate Research Symposium in October, the Texas A&M University System Student Research Symposium in November, and the Southern States Communication Association in March. :)

I hope you had a great first day! 

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41